Consumerization of the Enterprise is Happening, Stop Fighting It

Whether you like it or not, consumerization of the enterprise is happening. Employees are using digital products they’ve found or purchased on their own, and using devices like iPhones, iPads and Android and cloud services like DropBox and Gmail to conduct company business. But many of them feel that IT’s answer to “Can we do this?” is usually “No.”

“You could resist it and say no and miss out on great opportunities,” observes Tom Gillis, VP and GM Security Technology Business Unit for Cisco.

Gillis got in front of the company’s security discussion of consumer products and services coming into the enterprise. Now Cisco has an “any device” policy for its employees. They’re perfectly happy with iPhones, Androids and more on their networks.

Gillis advises the same for others. Get in a more proactive position. If you’re in security, lead the discussion. Don’t react. These new technologies allow for significant productivity enhancements. Deal with the issue upfront because it’s very difficult to inject security into these solutions after they’ve been used in a haphazard fashion.

It’s been a boon for Cisco, says Gillis. By allowing for consumerization within Cisco,the company has lowered costs by an estimated 25 percent and increased user satisfaction by 200 percent.